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The Mystery Of Dr Fu Manchu (1923 silent serial)

by: A.E. Coleby

Publication date: 1923

Topics: archvillain, Chinatown, criminal mastermind, ethnic stereotype, evil genius, femme fatale, serial, silent filme, yellow peril

Publisher: Stoll Picture Productions

Language: Silent, English titles, Spanish subtitles

This serial seems to be the earliest surviving film appearance of Dr. Fu Manchu. Unlike subsequent Fu Manchu films, these 13 episodes are essentially faithful (though abridged) adaptations of the events in Sax Rohmer's original stories (which are posted at Voidsville Follies, for comparison). Each episode is a self-contained story, with no cliffhangers.

The protagonist duo of Nayland Smith and Dr. Petrie is, superficially at least, an obvious imitation of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, with Dr. Fu Manchu taking the archvillain role of Prof. Moriarty. But in Fu Manchu stories, it is the genius of the archvillain that is the focus - not the cleverness of the detective. Nayland Smith admits: “I am a child striving to cope with a mental giant”.

Thankfully, this film adaptation ditched the repetitive narration of Dr. Petrie, with its endless vitriol against the so-called “Eastern race”. Of course, as faithful adaptations, these episodes maintain the Yellow Peril theme that is central to the story, but less explicitly.

Credits

Sax Rohmer (author)

A.E. Coleby (director/writer)
Frank Wilson (writer): Inspector Weymouth
Fred Paul: Nayland Smith
H. Agar Lyons: Dr, Fu Manchu
Humberston Wright: Dr. Petrie
Joan Clarkson: Karamaneh
Julie Suedo: Zarmi

Segments

Episode 1: The Scented Envelopes [Lost film. The “scented envelopes” case is the short story The Zayat Kiss (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Zayat_Kiss), “The first of the great struggles between Nayland Smith and the sinister Fu-Manchu” - a helpful introduction to the series.]
Episode 2: The West Case
Episode 3: The Clue Of The Pigtail
Episode 4: The Call Of Siva
Episode 5: The Miracle
Episode 6: The Fungi Cellars
Episode 7: The Knocking On The Door
Episode 8: The Cry Of The Night Hawk
Episode 9: Aaron's Rod [Currently unavailable, first reel missing. The “Aaron's rod” case is in chapters 7-10 of The Devil Doctor (UK)/The Return of Dr Fu-Manchu (US) (1916), the second novel in the Dr. Fu Manchu series. ]
Episode 10: The Fiery Hand
Episode 11: Man With The Limp
Episode 12: The Queen of Hearts
Episode 13: The Silver Buddha
Episode 14: The Sacred Order
Episode 15: The Shrine Of Seven Lamps